Advanced Writing and Research

293: Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Business Practice

Credit Hours

2

Description

Rigorous Writing

Skills

This course emphasizes and builds effective writing and communications skills in the transactional, business practice setting. The course will focus on a range of formal and informal documents and communication formats: drafting contract provisions and letters to clients and counterparties in transactional and pre-contentious settings; reviewing, interpreting, and editing the (often imperfect) contracts submitted by opposing counsel; preparing transaction task lists, due diligence memoranda or other internal communications for use by colleagues; and presentations to a board of directors or other client audience supported by written materials including PowerPoint visuals with substantive content and impact. Some attention will be given to ethics and professionalism in written content, including in the context of engagement letters with clients, declination letters with prospective clients, and conflict waivers among clients. Several sessions will also focus on special considerations when working and communicating with clients and counterparties in or from other countries where the laws, customs, practices, and language are different from our own. In-class sessions will typically be used for lecture and discussion to develop concepts and facts from selected readings and materials, which students will then incorporate in brief written assignments before the next class. Students will be graded based on written assignments and exercises and class participation. (Hagy)